Trump Names His Pick for Lindsey Graham’s Interim Replacement

President Donald Trump on Monday backed Darline Graham Nordone, Lindsey Graham’s sister, to serve as the interim replacement senator for South Carolina for the rest of her brother’s term.

“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

If appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster, Graham Nordone — who would be the first female senator from South Carolina — would serve until January 2027. McMaster is expected to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. to announce an interim appointment.

Sen. Tim Scott, who would serve as Graham Nordone’s South Carolina counterpart in the Senate, also endorsed her for the interim role.

“Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, would be a fantastic pick to serve out the reminder of the senate term,” Scott wrote on X after Trump’s post. “After speaking with Darline, there is no one better who understands Lindsey’s love for family, our state, and our country.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune also expressed his support for Graham’s sister filling the interim role, telling CNN that her potential appointment “makes a lot of sense.”

“In many respects, it would be a way of extending Lindsey’s legacy here and certainly something that, if that’s what they decide to end up doing, I think there’d be a lot of support for it,” Thune said.

The siblings shared a close relationship after the death of both of their parents just 15 months apart. When Lindsey Graham joined the Air Force in 1982, he became his sister’s legal guardian, which allowed her to qualify for his military benefits.

Lindsey Graham was seeking a fifth term and won his Republican primary just last month. Graham Nordone spoke about their relationship in an ad for her brother’s campaign earlier this year.

“He’s always been there for me, no matter what,” she said in the spot.

Republicans will vote in a special election on Aug. 11 to select a new nominee for the November general election. A runoff will be held Aug. 25 if no candidate reaches the threshold to get the Republican nomination outright.

Several names have been floated as the nominee for the general election, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who met with McMaster on Sunday; Rep. Ralph Norman, who is expected to make an announcement about the race on Tuesday; and Rep. Nancy Mace, who teased a bid on social media. All three of these potential candidates recently failed to secure the Republican nomination for governor.